Robots could carry shoppers’ groceries to their kitchen under plans being considered by online supermarket Ocado.
The firm is also looking at using driverless vans for deliveries.
The possibilities come after Ocado announced it had invested £10million in autonomous software firm Oxbotica.
Ocado said it would use the Oxford firm’s technology in a “variety of vehicles”, from those in its warehouses and yards “all the way to last-mile deliveries and kerb-to-kitchen robots”.
The two firms worked on a trial in 2017 that led to Ocado launching the UK’s first autonomous grocery delivery trial in South East London.
Ocado said the plans would not affect its workforce or hiring plans but its announcement pointed to employee costs. “The cost of final mile delivery is approximately 10% of sales,” it said. “Labour represents approximately 50% of these costs.”
Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner spoke last year on driverless vehicles, saying: “We’re working on really far-out research and development technology.”
The company said it predicts the development of vehicles to operate within restricted areas, such as at distribution sites, may “become a reality sooner than fully autonomous deliveries to homes”.
Paul Newman, co-founder of Oxbotica, said: “The way in which groceries will be moved and delivered is going to change.”
But there could be opposition from customers. Jackie Wood wrote on Twitter : “Dear Ocado, I’ve used you for many years but absolutely will not if you have driverless vans.”
